Russ Feingold: “this Nation is still reeling from the horrific events of September 11. During the past month, our country has come…”

“this Nation is still reeling from the horrific events of September 11. During the past month, our country has come together to mourn those we have lost, to help those who have been injured, and to comfort the many families involved. We continue to honor those who rushed selflessly to the aid of the victims and those who still work tirelessly in the rubble. We support our men and women in uniform who are making a bold strike against terrorism half the world away. The ripple effects of the terrorist attacks of one month ago are being felt across the country. One of those effects is the tightening of security measures around the country, perhaps most visibly at our Nation's airports. I commend the thousands of National Guard personnel who are patrolling our airports, including seven airports in Wisconsin. The impact that these vicious attacks have had on the airline industry is undeniable. There is certainly a legitimate need to provide some kind of assistance to our Nation's airlines in this time of crisis, and for that reason I supported the airline relief package that the Senate adopted last month. But this assistance should not stop at the board room door. We should not forget about airline employees and their families, including many Wisconsinites. In the past month, more than 100,000 layoffs have been announced by the airlines, and thousands more workers in related industries have been or will be laid off in the coming months.”